title: Effective state-based surveillance for multidrug-resistant organisms related to health care-associated infections.
abstract: In September 2008, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sponsored a meeting of public health and infection-control professionals to address the implementation of surveillance for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs)-particularly those related to health care-associated infections. The group discussed the role of health departments and defined goals for future surveillance activities. Participants identified the following main points: (1) surveillance should guide prevention and infection-control activities, (2) an MDRO surveillance system should be adaptable and not organism specific, (3) new systems should utilize and link existing systems, and (4) automated electronic laboratory reporting will be an important component of surveillance but will take time to develop. Current MDRO reporting mandates and surveillance methods vary across states and localities. Health departments that have not already done so should be proactive in determining what type of system, if any, will fit their needs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. jduffy@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sievert
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rebmann
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kainer
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lynfield
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fridkin
mesh_terms: D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018563:Disease Notification / Q000379:methods; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000458:organization & administration; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D013220:State Health Planning and Development Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States